Biography.guide
Home › People › Jazz musician › Ike Isaacs
Portrait of Ike Isaacs

Ike Isaacs

1923 – 1981

American jazz bassist

Jazz musician Double-bassistTrumpeter
Don't just read it — keep itBiographies to ownE-book · Audio · Video From $7 →

About Ike Isaacs

Lived 1923 – 1981 (aged 57). Ike Isaacs was an American jazz musician, double-bassist, trumpeter, musician and double bass.

Charles "Ike" Isaacs (March 28, 1923 – February 27, 1981) was an American jazz double bassist from Greater Cleveland.

Early life Born in Akron, Ohio, Isaacs played trumpet and tuba as a child before settling on bass.

Career Isaacs served in the Army during World War II, where he took lessons from Wendell Marshall. Following this he played with Tiny Grimes (1948–50), Earl Bostic (1951–53), Paul Quinichette (1953), and Bennie Green (1956). He led a band locally in Ohio in 1956, then played for two years in the trio of Carmen McRae, whom he married late in the decade. He worked with Lambert, Hendricks and Ross, then with Count Basie (1962), Gloria Lynne (1962–64), and Erroll Garner (1966–70), as well as with his own small groups. He recorded only once as a leader, in 1967 for RGB Records. On this recording he plays in a trio with Jack Wilson on piano and Jimmie Smith on drums.

Discography As leader or co-leader Maxine Sullivan with the Ike Isaacs Quartet (Audiophile, 1981) Enjoy Yourself! (Audiophile, 1986) At the Pied Piper (RGB, 1992)

As sideman With Count Basie Back with Basie (Roulette, 1962) Basie in Sweden (Roulette, 1962)

With Lambert, Hendricks & Ross High Flying (Columbia, 1961) Everybody's Boppin (Columbia, 1989) The Hottest New Group in Jazz (Columbia, 1996)

With others Roy Brown, Laughing But Crying (Route 66, 1977) Roy Brown, Good Rocking Tonight (Route 66, 1978) Ray Bryant, Piano Piano Piano Piano... (Prestige, 1957) Harry Edison & Eddie Lockjaw Davis, Jawbreakers (Riverside, 1962) Pee Wee Erwin, Swingin' That Music (Jazzology, 1980) Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday & Carmen McRae, At Newport (Verve, 2000) Erroll Garner, Up in Erroll's Room (MGM, 1968) Erroll Garner, Erroll Garner Plays Gershwin and Kern (EmArcy, 1985) Bennie Green & Paul Quinichette, Blow Your Horn (Decca, 1956) Bennie Green, Soul Stirrin' (Blue Note, 1958) Al Grey, Boss Bone (Argo, 1964) Jon Hendricks, A Good Git-Together (World Pacific 1959) Jon Hendricks, Fast Livin' Blues (Columbia, 1962) Carmen McRae, A New Voice in Jazz (Brunswick, 1958) Carmen McRae, Mad About the Man (Decca, 1958) Big Miller, Revelations and the Blues (Columbia, 1961) Esther Phillips, Burnin (Atlantic, 1970) Esther Phillips, Confessin' the Blues (Atlantic, 1976) Dan Wall, The Trio (Audiophile, 1982) Jack Wilson, Song for My Daughter (Blue Note, 1969) Joe Williams, Joe Williams Live! A Swingin' Night at Birdland (Roulette, 1962)

Biography shop

Don’t just read it —
keep it.

Full-length biographies made to live with: read them, listen on the way to work, watch them tonight.

  • E-book
  • Audio
  • Video
Browse the shop — from $7

Instant download · yours to keep · every purchase keeps this site free

Important facts

Birth century
Nationality
Also known as
Charles Edward Isaacs

People in Ike Isaacs's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Ike Isaacs's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Ike Isaacs?

American jazz bassist (1923–1981)

When was Ike Isaacs born?

Ike Isaacs was born on 28 March 1923 in Akron.

When did Ike Isaacs die?

Ike Isaacs died on 27 February 1981 in Atlanta.

What was Ike Isaacs's occupation?

Ike Isaacs was a jazz musician, double-bassist, trumpeter, musician and double bass.

What nationality was Ike Isaacs?

Ike Isaacs was American.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Ike Isaacs

· Wikidata: Q1382416

· DBpedia: Ike Isaacs (bassist)

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Ike Isaacs. https://biography.guide/ike-isaacs/

MLA: "Ike Isaacs." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/ike-isaacs/.

Chicago: "Ike Isaacs." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/ike-isaacs/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

Page generated 2026-09-27 05:06 UTC